Parents admit that tackling numbers puts them in a spin

Parents reveal their fear of homework, with formulas and fractions topping the list!

Two thirds of parents admit they’re bottom of the class when trying to help out with school homework dished out to their kids, it emerged today*.

The study of 2,000 parents, which was commissioned by Aviva, revealed parents fall short when it comes to classroom classics like maths and science, leaving them feeling red-faced when they’re not able to help. The research was commissioned to launch the Aviva Tackling Numbers programme in partnership with Premiership Rugby, aimed at improving children’s confidence in numeracy skills.

Four in ten parents admitted there was competition between themselves and other parents when it came to homework, and a sneaky half of the parents surveyed even admitted turning to Google when trying to help their kids.

Maths topped the list as the subject that parents struggle with the most, with algebra, fractions and trigonometry least welcomed at home. As well as decimals and dimensions putting parents in a spin, Roman History and the Periodic Table also leave them scratching their heads.

"It’s unsurprising that maths tops the list of subjects parents dread the most. As a parent myself, I know first-hand the challenges faced when it comes to helping with homework.

"With over half of parents admitting they wished they’d tried harder at school, we have a responsibility to give our children the foundation for good financial literacy in in the future.

“Whether it’s at home or in the classroom, the Aviva Tackling Numbers programme is an engaging resource that builds children’s and parents’ confidence in numeracy skills."

Over a third of parents worry that they’re being judged by their children’s teachers on the quality of their child’s homework, results showed.

More than half of the 2,000 studied now wished they had tried harder at school it emerged, with maths a topic they really regretted not focussing more on.

Perhaps that’s because three in ten felt pressure to know the answers when their child came to them for help and more than a fifth would rather avoid having to help or leave it to a partner.

Heather Smith added: "The study shows that many parents suffer a lack of confidence in helping with homework and no doubt the list of topics will serve up memories of their classroom days they may not be fond of.

"However, it’s important that we do everything possible to equip our children in key areas like numeracy from an early age and develop their confidence in these areas.

"As adults we might not recall the things we learned about the Romans or the periodic table, but core skills like literacy and numeracy are so crucial that building confidence in these areas as early as possible should be a priority."